I used to do the same thing as the OP, still slightly bugs me, but I got over it.
I have plenty of phobias though; horses, heights, dirty wet dishes, and a crippling fear of spiders.

Dirty wet dishes....wow I'm not the only who cannot stand touching them!! It gives me the chills even when just standing and staring at them.

OP, I can relate to that. Whenever I sit down in a restaurant or somewhere I always try to sit with by back facing the wall so I can see everyone else in the room. If I don't, I always have the feeling that I must check over my shoulder and am pretty uncomfortable. I don't think it's a phobia thing, just something that makes you uneasy.

It's not a crippling fear, but it's causing a pretty high level of discomfort. When I was younger I couldn't sleep facing the wall, I always slept facing the room because I knew I could see the room just by opening my eyes.

I do this all the time, I sleep with my back against the wall so I can see the room. I just feel uncomfortable not being able to see the entirety of my room.

Originally Posted by Fiddlesnarf

I used to do the same thing as the OP, still slightly bugs me, but I got over it.
I have plenty of phobias though; horses, heights, dirty wet dishes, and a crippling fear of spiders.

Omg... I hate touching dirty dishes too... I gag when I have to touch the eating utensils that my family eats from. I love animals, even if they're spiders or snakes or whatever, and I'm also afraid of heights. >.>

same here. i actually can't play some parts of the oblivion mod Nehrim with my eyes open because there are spiders in those parts. it isn't as bad in WoW, but there are still some spiders in there that creep me out.

Currently only reading the Funny Pictures Megathread because the rest of the forums is filled with piss, whiners and pissed whiners.

It could just not be a phobia =p
When I look at an open sky (the worst is standing at the bottom of a tall object and looking straight up to the top of it (damn you Washington Monument!)), my heart rate explodes, blood pressure spikes, I'll get dizzy and pass out...legitimate physical terror that I can't really do anything about.

Sry but i lol:d. But really, falling into the sky? You do know that's not even possible?

Ofc you do, I'm just tryin' to make you realise how stupid your phobia is =(

It could just not be a phobia =p
When I look at an open sky (the worst is standing at the bottom of a tall object and looking straight up to the top of it (damn you Washington Monument!)), my heart rate explodes, blood pressure spikes, I'll get dizzy and pass out...legitimate physical terror that I can't really do anything about.

you have a fear of heights

you're just trying to "make it your phobia" because people love to be special, but you're not special because of your phobia. you have a fear of heights

op, you're just paranoid, probably has to do with elevated levels of dopamine and you probably have a person or two in your family who was schizophrenic (seem to be linked), basically a less crippling form of schizophrenia but they don't like to call it that. there are varying levels and even exactly WHAT you're paranoid about, but it almost always has to do with other people and impairs your social skills to some degree

my advice is to not worry about it, open the curtain or whatever you gotta do, bothering nobody, they'll probably give you seroquel which will make you sleep harder than fuck, you'll literally just conk out, sleep a solid 10-12 and be groggy the first part of the day. it sucks.

I am sorry to have to break the news to you OP, but judging from your description, you display common traits of someone with Paranoia. Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already, but it seems quite evident from my PoV.

I can see how it would affect you. Hell, if I may be so bold as to go all anthropologist that apprehension about the unknown may date back to the caveman days. After all, how can you tell if there's a predator there if you can't see that area?

See if you can remember an experience which may have caused this fear. Occasionally you can. Generally you will have had an experience which will have caused this fear, however it may have been that you were too young to remember, or blocked it out ect. See if any of your family remember something happening. This may help you overcome it.

It may have been something like your brother hiding behind the curtains then jumping out at you, a scary film ect. Could be anything, dont quickly dismiss things either.

See if you can remember an experience which may have caused this fear. Occasionally you can. Generally you will have had an experience which will have caused this fear, however it may have been that you were too young to remember, or blocked it out ect. See if any of your family remember something happening. This may help you overcome it.

It may have been something like your brother hiding behind the curtains then jumping out at you, a scary film ect. Could be anything, dont quickly dismiss things either.

DDE

if you find out why you have a flat tire, you still have a flat tire

that's the problem with the "science" of therapy, they think the mind can be fixed

people are just fucked up, sometimes for stupid reasons, but still fucked up
if how you deal with your fucked up life isn't hurting anyone, then you're doing it right. i err on the side of cautious too and wouldn't have it any other way

Just curious but does anyone NOT have these irrational fears? I know people that are afraid of the oddest things, but can honestly say that I can't think of any phobias or strange fears that I myself suffer from.

Sure if there's a wasp buzzing around my head or something I'd be a bit uneasy but not genuinely scared. There's a guy I work with who can't stand the thought of touching unfinished wood (lol) like lollipop sticks, and refuses to eat food cooked by someone he considers to be an old woman.

Sry but i lol:d. But really, falling into the sky? You do know that's not even possible?

Ofc you do, I'm just tryin' to make you realise how stupid your phobia is =(

I know there is no way a spider in England could hurt me, I still go into shock if there is one in my room.
Just like I know a clown (maybe) wont try to maim me - I'm still terrified of them.

---------- Post added 2011-02-12 at 10:52 PM ----------

Originally Posted by blizzardcashshop

you have a fear of heights

you're just trying to "make it your phobia" because people love to be special, but you're not special because of your phobia. you have a fear of heights

That makes literally no sense.

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It's not a crippling fear, but it's causing a pretty high level of discomfort. When I was younger I couldn't sleep facing the wall, I always slept facing the room because I knew I could see the room just by opening my eyes.

Instead of trying to find the fear you could just try removing it.
I hear Fear has diminishing returns.

Okay bad joke, all I'm saying is be defiant to what your fear is telling you to do, face the wall, close the curtains, enjoy another day.
Live the life! Fear the sensation (puntastic I say)!

Im Scared of Fire alarms
i cant help it, im at university and i still hate them, theres a set schedule for them at uni, so i have to put headphones on as it goes off, it makes my heart beat so fast

when i was younger ( primary school) it used to go off and i used to cry like a baby, i think its cause ive nearly been killed by fire 3 times, now i cant stand it, i have to force myself not to have a breakdown, it makes me worry when it goes off..